BIO-UV Group anticipates an increase in inspections as Port State Control (PSC) inspectors check machinery installations, crew competencies and Ballast Water Management (BWM) Plans.
Starting in September of this year, all vessels adhering to the Ballast Water Management (BWM) Convention must be equipped with a D-2 compliant ballast water treatment system. This system must effectively handle the maximum allowable organisms for discharge, which is less than 10 organisms of 50µm or more per 1m3 of water and less than 10 organisms of 10-50 µm per 1ml of water.
Although there’s a grace period until 2026 where operators won’t be penalized for non-compliance with discharge standards, ships can still face detention if their BWM systems are poorly maintained, operated, or documented, as highlighted by Charlène Ceresola, BIO-UV Group’s BWT Project Manager.
Increased Port State Control inspections in China, Australia, and the USA, particularly focusing on machinery and electrical systems, are underway. While BWM systems aren’t singled out, these inspections aim to prevent failures of any onboard systems.
According to BIO-UV, there’s an expectation that Paris and Tokyo MoUs will adopt similar measures.
Ship managers have two years to ensure their ballast discharge waters are compliant, but only until September to get their crews up to speed with system maintenance and operation
… said Simon Marshall, BIO-UV Group’s Deputy Managing Director
